


Glowy Boys Special (aka Fenders tumblr shorts)

by thejourneymaninn



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Fenders Friday, Fluff, M/M, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other characters may be added, pre-fenders - Freeform, prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-25 19:53:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13220028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thejourneymaninn/pseuds/thejourneymaninn
Summary: A collection of shorts and prompt fills originally posted on tumblr, all Fenders, (almost) all fluff. Additional tags/warnings for each piece in the notes





	1. Water

**Author's Note:**

> For Fenders Friday 'Water'  
> Post-canon, established relationship, fluff.

Water, dripping down his face, darkening his hair, catching in his coat. No longer feathers, no fancy design, plain, sturdy wool and leather. Time had changed much. 

But not this. Not him. Still beautiful, still upright, still standing in the rain like a man drawing his first breath.

Fenris leaned back against the meagre protection of the damp chantry wall, taking in the sight, the soft slope of his shoulders, every single strand of hair, the water gathering in the palms of his hands. Memory was a treacherous thing. It brandished what scarred yet buried your treasures, and just when you felt safe, it slipped away, stealing what you most wanted to keep. Look as hard as he might, the image would fade. But he would remember the feeling. He would remember this day.

They’d made it. All pursuers shaken, the hunt called off, the last bands of scattered, anxious mages gathered and guided to safety. A new world, a new Divine. It still frightened him, sometimes, but it was worth it to see Anders like this.

Free.

They were _both_ free now.

Free to go wherever they pleased. Free to take a moment to feel the rain.

A tiny river of drops converged on the tip of Anders’ nose as he turned his head, reached out a hand.

“The rain is warm, Fenris. You need to feel this.”

He took it, let Anders pull him away from the protection of the overhanging roof, followed as he took a few more steps onto the plaza. Eyes closed, he tilted his face to the sky.

“Where do you want to go now?” He didn’t need to look at Anders to know that he was smiling.

They’d discussed it, at length. Fenris would stay; he would follow wherever Anders’ fight led them for as long as it took, would lend his blade, his fist, his love to support the man he’d chosen, until the world no longer claimed that man was not free to make the same choice. And when there was nothing left to be done, when the fight was either won or had to be abandoned, Anders would do the same for him. Follow him through whatever Fenris felt he needed to do.

He hadn’t required a promise, even if he’d been grateful for Anders’ insistence. He’d known, long before the mage repeated his agreement with eyes burning blue. They’d taken more than one detour, for him. No slaver crossed their path and lived. Only some of them died by his hands.

And Justice for all.

He kept his eyes closed, let the water tickle his skin, soak into his clothes for a moment longer.

They could find new allies, kill more slavers, dismantle their trade in earnest.

They could see their friends again.

They could visit places he’d only heard of, take a break, get that cat.

And no matter where he steered them, they would be together.

He was free to choose…but the most important choice had already been made. When he’d chosen to stay that night. And then again, that day, years later. He had looked at dust and smoke and death and he had seen threads, loving eyes and hands intertwined. His anger could not compete. He stayed. He forgave. And eventually, he understood.

Fenris turned to look at the mage, who’d stuck out his tongue to catch a few drops, and squeezed his hand, warm and wet in his own.

“Let us not decide right now.”

They could afford to stand here, together in the warm summer shower, for as long as they pleased, and when they wished to get dry again, they would go find an inn.

There was no need for immediate plans. No one was hunting them.

Not anymore.


	2. Leaves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Fenders Friday 'Leaves'  
> Post Break-up, angst, unhappy ending

A single, leaf, dried and faded. He shouldn’t have kept it. Let alone framed it. _Enshrining garbage, I see? Always so sentimental_ , Fenris would have said, that little smirk of his lurking in the corners of his mouth.

Anders still misses that smirk. He will never stop missing it, always clinging to what is bound to slip away. Fenris had a point, as usual. Still smugly superior, even when he’s just an echo of a past long gone.

At least Anders didn’t put it on a shelf. No, stored safely out of sight, it lies waiting. For moments like this, when Anders is weak – weak, always and eternally weak – when he seeks to find comfort in what has been lost. When he picks it up, lets his fingers trace its lines, the net of intricate veins, the frayed holes and edges. Brittle. Lifeless. Yet still the same as when he pulled it out of the tangle of strands behind Fenris’ ear, kissing his red, runny nose. He can still see it clearly, Fenris’ smile, his hair plastered to his face, eyes gleaming, feverish, wild and unshackled in the storm, the taste of his lips mingling with that of the rain, his hand warm and firm in his as he led the way. Their beginning. So much prettier than the end.

_Before_. There is no going back. No knocking on his door, no shoving the horrors back into their box. A handful of trinkets are all that remains. And memories, sometimes an avalanche, sometimes a drizzle, piercing that hollow space inside him.

Outside, the leaves keep falling, the wind shakes the trees like it did that day. Where is he now, Anders wonders. Did he flee the city, the country, the continent? Or is he still right there, curled up in what used to be their favourite armchair, looking at a clear blue sky? Is he happy? Does he know he is loved, and always will be?

And does he ever think of him, when the leaves fall, when his cat purrs, when his eyes fall on that scar?

Anders knows loneliness; he knows it inside out, like a favourite sweater, like an old friend. He thought he knew what he was giving up.

But there had never been a loneliness like this.

Yet it was worth it, if it means Fenris can be free. Wherever he went, he will have a life. He will be happy. He will be loved. And Anders will be what he was always destined to be. A memory, a distant ghost of past mistakes. 

The scarf has long since lost his scent, but Anders wears it anyway, as he walks out into the storm, to smell the rain, and remember.


	3. "Kisses because I missed you and you really shouldn’t stay away so long"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Established relationship, fluff
> 
> For prompt 18 from [this list ](http://thejourneymaninn.tumblr.com/post/165648920783/another-kiss-meme/), requested by @damnedapostate

His hand still on the doorknob, Anders didn’t even have time to blink in surprise. There was a flash of dark brown topped with white and covered in spikes, and then there were arms around him, lips on his, the taste of Fenris in his travel-weary mouth, sweet and urgent and _home_ , and Anders certainly wasn’t complaining but…

“Eh, hello to you too. What was that for?”

Somewhere in between assaulting his neck with lips and teeth, Fenris managed a muttered, “I missed you.”

“Did you now? I must say, you’re awfully cuddly for someone who wouldn’t even properly kiss me Goodbye. I seem to recall a lot of glowering and grumbling about my ‘stubborn obsession with saving the world’.”

His smug grin was promptly wiped away by a very insistent tongue and an armful of elf pushing him into a chair, crawling into his lap and twisting his fingers into his hair as he began to grind against him.

He bit back a laugh. “Fenris, it’s only been a week.”

“Exactly. A _week_. Why did you stay away for so long?”

Anders’ voice softened immediately, although it became even harder not to laugh. Fenris didn’t pout often but when he did, it was simply too adorable to resist.

“You really did miss me, didn’t you?”

“And here I was thinking I had made that perfectly clear.”

“I hope you’re not planning to keep me locked up,” Anders said, making a show of raising his eyebrows.

“No. From now on, I shall go with you. And do not even think of sneaking off. You are as stealthy as a herd of Hawkes.”

“Don’t let him hear that.”

“I highly doubt he could, over all the noise he makes.”

“So”—he flashed Fenris a broad grin—“basically, your plan is to keep me from putting myself in danger by reminding me I’d also be putting _you_ in danger?”

“Perhaps.”

Not the worst of plans, Anders decided as Fenris pulled him down for another


	4. Three little words: I lied before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mild angst, (sort of) established relationship
> 
> For [Three little words ](http://thejourneymaninn.tumblr.com/post/166283619473/3-little-words-starter-pack/), requested by @rhube

“I lied before. There is no potion.”

_There is no potion._

_I lied._

Around him, more words were falling, useless and hollow. Hawke kept pressing Anders for details about the favour he’d asked of him, but his attempts were half-hearted at best; he was already on his way back to his cheerful, trusting self. As their conversation moved on to plans, to smiles and promise, Fenris’ mind remained stuck on that one, casual remark.

Because it hadn’t been casual at all.

_No potion._

What was really going on?

Was his mage safe?

_His_ mage. Anders would probably have had to say a thing or two (or, knowing him, 200) about this use of the possessive, yet after everything they’d shared, that was how it felt. Anders might huff and deny it- Venhedis, he’d spent months trying to deny it himself – but they _belonged_. They understood each other. Fenris knew more than just the scent of his skin or the sound of his moans; he knew his tells, the furrows and valleys of his worries, the flicker of thoughts he tried to hide. And right now, he knew that something was very, very wrong.

Wrong enough that just for a second there, even Hawke had sensed it.

True, the taste of despair wasn’t new on Anders; they’d all had weeks of fun teasing him about a certain ham - but this was different. There was a sort of…finality to his demeanor, as though there was more and less of him at the same time. Fenris couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but it was almost impossible to resist the urge to surge forward, pull Anders close, protect him from whatever it was that was haunting him.

He couldn’t, of course. That was not who were, not how they approached one another. There was nothing he could do to help, and Hawke didn’t even seem to realize help was needed. Or perhaps he simply didn’t care, always one to take a ride with trouble. And Anders was always trouble, always ready to put himself at risk.

But that Fenris didn’t have the words to reach him didn’t mean he couldn’twatch over him; he had more than enough experience following the mage without being noticed. What was it Anders had asked of Hawke? The grand cleric…the chantry… tomorrow? Well then, tomorrow.

Fenris would be there. 


	5. 51. "I’m your husband. It’s my job.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff  
> for the [drabble challenge ](http://thejourneymaninn.tumblr.com/post/156458289593/drabble-challenge-1-150/), requested by @selfmadeelf

A soft rustle reached his ears, roused his fears and hauled him out of the refuge of his dreams. He shot up, fumbling for his staff, mind racing through the endless list of possible threats. Templars, bandits, ogres, mercenaries, Sebast-

“A nug,” supplied a voice next to him, its low, soothing tones instantly causing his body to relax. As he turned his head, glowing green eyes met his. “They seem to be common in these regions.” Fenris smiled, reaching out a hand to brush several stray strands of hair out of his eyes. “Your wards will hold. And should someone trigger them, you won’t have to fight them alone.” The elf gently pulled him back down, tucked his head underneath his chin and wrapped his arms around him. “Try to get some sleep. You need it.”

“Thank you,” Anders whispered against Fenris’ neck, “thank you for making everything a little less scary.”

He could hear the smile in the elf’s voice as his reply carried him back to sleep.

“I am your husband. It is my job.”


	6. 16.  “I’ll kick his ass if you want me to.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Established relationship
> 
> for the [drabble challenge ](http://thejourneymaninn.tumblr.com/post/156458289593/drabble-challenge-1-150/), requested by @selfmadeelf

“You have every right to be upset.” Hawke nodded emphatically, trying to comfort the elf sulking next to him. “Justice distracting him is no excuse for forgetting your anniversary. I should teach this feathered jerk some manners. Just say the word; I’ll kick his ass if you want me to…”

He got a sharp “No!” for his efforts. Yet it was another, utterly bewildering sound that caused Hawke’s jaw to head for the floor.

“Fenris, did…did you just… _growl_? I don’t think I’ve ever…”

As unusual as it was, the elf did it again. With feeling.

“The mage ass is _mine_.”


	7. 41 "You’re going out dressed like that?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, established relationship
> 
> for the [drabble challenge ](http://thejourneymaninn.tumblr.com/post/156458289593/drabble-challenge-1-150/), requested by @selfmadeelf

“You’re going out dressed like _that_?”

“Yes, Hawke. Is there a problem?”

“Fenris…you’re wearing…a staff. And those robes! Maker, they show your…”

“They are looking for a mage. If this is what it takes to get their attention, so be it.”

Still staring incredulously, Hawke couldn’t do much more than stammer, “I…I guess this is what they call true love.”

Fenris showed no reaction as he walked towards the entrance of the cave they had been huddling in all night. “I’ll mark the trail. And I count on you to keep Anders safe.” He gave Hawke a nod before he stepped out into the rain, a dark grin taking hold of his face. “Let them try to smite me.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> pre-fenders, Assholes to friends to lovers, step 1 (of 10000)

“Admit it, you stepped on that pressure plate on purpose,” Fenris hissed as they stepped out of the cave.

“Excuse me? May I remind you that _I_ was the one who immediately cast a barrier around you to keep you from becoming toast? You’re welcome, by the way.”

“A barrier that for some reason stopped right below my hair.”

“Weren’t you complaining it was always falling into your eyes? Problem solved.”

“I am nearly bald.”

“Oh quit whining, it’s just a little singed at the tips. What do you want from me; I had to be quick, and barriers are not an exact science.”

“That claim would be more believable if you weren’t grinning.”

“What are you talking about? I’m not grinning,” Anders said, grinning.

**Author's Note:**

> title by the lovely, incomparable @damnedapostate


End file.
